Spring strip cover



Dec. 5, 1961 E. J. WINKLER 3,011,183

SPRING STRIP COVER Filed April 28, 1958 INVENTOR.

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United States Patent" Filed Apr. 28, 1958, Ser. No. 731,272 11 Claims. (Cl. 5353.7)

This invention relates to cover elements, and particularly to a cover element for a spring strip and to the method of supporting the cover element thereon.

Sinuous types of springs have been used for some tlme as a support for a seating structure in the nature of webbing extending from the front to the rear frame members to which the ends are secured. Padding and upholstery material were employed on the top of the spring seats and cushions were supported on top of the upholstery material. In the present arrangement, the spring strips are employed in the same manner, the ends being secured to the front and rear frame members and individually encased in a resin tubular-like strip which is disposed thereover. The strip may be a closed tube or may have two bottom flaps so that when the top portion rests upon the spring the bottom flaps will enclose or partly enclose the under surface thereof. The covered spring strips form a pleasing appearance and may be of any color or a combination of colors upon which the foam rubber or other types of cushions are directly supported. Savings result from the elimination of the cotton upholstery material and the labor to assemble it on the frame and a more sanitary and pleasing support is provided by the covered spring strips.

Accordingly, the main objects of the invention are: to cover the spring strips which extend between the frame members of a seat to eliminate the padding and upholstery material normally employed thereover; to provide a length of resilient tubular material having the bottom side open to receive a spring strip; to provide a cover for a spring strip which is of tubular form having the bottom side spit and the side edges reinforced to retain the bottom side portions in engaged relationship with the under side of the spring strip, and, in general, to provide a cover for spring strips which is simple in construction, which is readily assembled, and which provides a more sanitary seating surface to the frame.

Other .objects and features of novelty of the invention will be specifically pointed out or will become apparent when referring, for a better understanding of the invention, to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein: I

FIGURE 1 is a sectional view of a chair or sofa frame having the covered spring strips thereon which embody features. of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 1, taken on the line 22 thereof;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, broken sectional view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 2, taken on the line 33 thereof; 7

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, broken sectional View of the structure illustrated in FIG. 3, taken on the line 4--4 thereof; a I

FIG. 5 is an enlarged-sectional view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 2, taken on the line 55 thereof; and

FIGS. 6, 7, 8 and 9 are sectional views, of structure, similar to that illustrated in FIG. 5, showing other forms which the invention may assume.

The chair or sofa 10 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 com- 1 prises a base 11 made from a frame 12, having side members 13 and front and back members 14 and 15. Legs 16 are secured at the corners of the frame for supporting the base from the floor. A back rest 17 may be applied to the base above the back frame member 15, as illusice trated in FIG. 1. The front and rear frame members 14 and 15 comprise an outer rail member 18 having an inner rail element 19 secured thereto, offset downwardly from the top of the outer rail members 18. Clips 21 are secured to the top of the rail element 19 in aligned relation across the frame for supporting sinuous spring strips 22. The end 23 of the spring strip has the end portion 24 reversely bent which, when the clip is flattened upon itself by a nail 25, prevents the end 23 from moving laterally therefrom. The front end of the spring is directly secured to the rail in this manner, while the rear end 23 thereof is supported in eyes 26 at the ends of the arms of a U-shaped element 27 which is supported by a clip 21.

This permits the rear end to deflect downwardly when Wall of the bottom portion 33 is split longitudinally on the center line at 34 to permit the side portions 35 and 36 of the strip to be placed over and under the spring strips after the strips are secured across the frame elements 19. When rigid enough material is employed in making the strip, the edges of the side portions 35 and 36 will maintain alignment with each other throughout the length of the spring strip and readily follow the form of the strip. However, when the material is too thin or too flexible, the edges of the wallportions 35 and 36 become undulated and will not be in smooth aligned relation to each other. After the strip is applied to the spring, the ends of the wall portions 35 and 36 are removed so as to have the upper portion and side edges of the strip extend over the element 27 and securing clip 21. This permits the top ends of the strip to be tacked to the top resins, including polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl chloride,

polyvinyl acrylic acid, copolymers of polyvinyl chloride acetate, styrene modified vinyl resins and the like, these being specifically mentioned by way of example and not limitation.

In FIG. 6 a further form of the invention is illustrated, that wherein the cover element 41 has a thin upper Web 42 and heavy reversely turned edge portions 43 terminating in inwardly directed flanges 44 on the under side of the spring. The heavy U-shaped edge portions 43 engage the edges of the spring and are not stressed by the thin web 42. As a result, the cover will remain tight upon the spring by the friction provided by the heavier edge portions 43. 1 p

In FIG. 7 asimilar construction is shown, one which has vthe bottom portions 45 and 46 also made of thin section, the same as the top web 42. The adjacent edges of the portions 45 and 46 are reversely bent to provide interlocking edges47 to permit the portions to be joined tohave the cover entirely encase the spring strip. Suitable material may be employed for permanently adhering "may be adhered thereto by having a suitable material applied thereto.

" InFiG, 9 a still further 'formof the invention is illus- "trated, that whereinthe'top layer 53 is of thin section'terminating in hollow outer edge portions 54 from which {inwardly directed web portions'55 extend. These web iportions terminate in a reinforcing edge 56 to retain the "adjacent edges'in undulate'd relationship to each other and the under surface of the spring strips.

When applying any of the covers illustrated in FIGS. to 9 inclusive to the'spring strips, the top portion of the spring strip 'is completely hidden from view and a pleasing appearance is' provided for the assembly; As pointed out above, the covers may be made of different material permitting seat and back spring strips to be covered in a "single selected color'or with two colors so that the color of the back is different from the seat, or of two colors permittin'g alternate covers to be of different colors, or any variegation of the colored strips maybe employed. When using the covers in this manner, the upholstery and padding material heretofore utilized iseliminated and a more'sanitary chair and sofa and; like assemblies result therefrom. The ,cover may be snapped over the spring 'strips, and by having the edge portions of greater thickness, the cover will be maintained in fixed relation to'the spring strip. The edges of the split bottom web of the cover may abut and be interrelated to mechanically retain ithe web in unit relationship, or a material may be employed which causes the adherence of the edges to the underside of the'spring strips, or to the underside of the top web of the cover, or to the interengaged portions of 1 the edges.

The cover may be tubular in form and the spring strip inserted therein. Such a possibility is more readily usable when the spring strip is-flat or arched only a small amount, but difficulty maybe experienced when the radius of the strip is very small in view of the stress inherent therein. desirable to stretch the spring strip across the frame-members and thereafter apply the split tubular cover thereto.

In either arrangement, the cover is secured in position on It is for this reasonthat it is most the spring strips to hide the strips entirely from-view on one side of the assembly "and also from the opposite side thereof when the edges of the split web of the cover are abutted and secured together.

i What is claimed is:

' 1. In a spring assembly, an open frame, sinuous spring fstrips having their ends secured to the frame to extend across the open area thereof, and separate covers; of

. flexible material secured by their own resiliency individually over each said spring strip in a manner to permit 'the spring strip to expand and contract while retained hidden from view.

2. In a'spring assembly, an open frame, sinuous spring H strips having their ends secured to the frame to extend across the open area thereof, and separate covers secured individually over each said spring strip in a manner to permit the' spring strip to expand and contract while retained hidden from view, each said cover being of tubular form and of flexible resin material.

i). In a spring assemblygan open frame, sinuous spring strips having their ends secured to the frame to extend across the open area thereof, andseparate covers secured individually pver each said spring strip to hide it from view, each said cover being of flat tubular form having side edges with the bottom portion therebetween split longitudinally thereof, the portion each side" of the split line on the bottom or back side of the spring strips form- 1 view; eachsaid coverbeing' of flat tubular fo'rm having side edges withthebottom portion therebetween split longitudinally thereof, with the portion each side of theIsplit line disposedon the bottom or back side of the spring strips, said portions having the adjacent edges secured to each other. a I

5. In a spring assembly, an open frame, sinuous'spring strips having their ends secured'to the frame to extend across the open areathereof, and a cover secured'individually over each said spring strip to hide it'f'rom view, said cover element having a thin' web, which'extends over the top surface of the strip terminating in U-shapeded'geportions of thicker section so as'to fixedly'engageth'e'e'dge of the spring strip to retain the web stretched thereacro'ss 6. A cover for" a sinuous spring strip comprising a rectangular sleeve of flexible material having spaced webs and arcuate side portions for receiving the spring strip in a manner to permit it to'expand and contracttherewithi'n. 7. A cover for a sinuous spring 'strip.comprising"a rectangular sleeve of flexible material having spaced top contract therewithin, the bottom web of the cover being tract therewithin,"the bottom web of the coverbeing split along the longitudinal center line thereof, with -'the adjacent edges of the split bottom web shaped tov interlock with each other.

9. A cover for a sinuous spring strip comprising a recv tangular sleeve of flexible material having spaced top and bottom web portions and arcuate edge portionsfor'receiving the spring strip in a manner to permit it to expand and contract therewithin, the top web portion'of the strip being thinner in section than the side edge portions thereof.

i 10. A cover for a sinuous spring strip comprising a'rectangular sleeve of flexible material having spaced'topand bottom webs and arcuate edge portions for receiving the 7 spring strip in a manner to permit it to expand and contract therewithin, the bottom web of the cover being split along the longitudinal center line thereof, the adjacent edges of the bottom'web portion being greater in ness than the adjacent portions of the web. I

11. A cover for a sinuous spring strip having a top web thickportion, two side'edge portions and inwardlyextending bottom web portions, the side edge portions being substantially thicker than said top web portion and having "'the bottom web portions spaced a substantial j'clistance from each other and so related as to fixedly engage the edges of the spring strip.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,876,101 Thum Sept. 6, 1932 1,884,270 Rylander Oct. 25, 1932 )7 2,156,530 Freeman May. 2,1939 2,437,119 I Overby et al Mar. 2, 1948 2,564,394 Cole .n Aug. 14, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 924,917 Germany Mar. 1 10, 1955 

